Improvement in knives



ed tant @attllttiim Jv OLDEN ELY, OF PHILADELRHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 86,657, (lated February 9, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNIVES.

The Schedule referred to h1 these Letters Patent and making part of the sam'e.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Beit known that I, J. OLDEN ELY, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Handles for Knives, 85o.; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention consists, first, of a knife, or other instrument, having a tang extending into a core of wood, or other light material, which is entirely enclosed by a casing of metal, cast round it, the shrinkage of the metal, in cooling, compressing the wood and binding the tang firmly in its place.

The invention consists,-secondly, of a bolster, cast with and forming a part of the said casing, and surrounding the neck of the tang.

In order toenable others skilled in the art to make and apply my invention, I will now proceed to describe the mode of constructing the same, reference being hadfto the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification', and in which- Figure l represents the blade of a table-knife prepared for attachment to the handle.

Figure 2, a side view of the blade, with the handle in section, so as to exhibit the wooden core.

Figure 3, a section on the line 1 2, iig. 2.

Figure 4, an exterior view of the completed knife.

In my patent of August 8, 1865, for improvement in table-knives, the tang was introduced into a slot in the Wooden handle, and a bolster was so cast to the inner end of the said handle, that, in shrinking, it bound the wood tight to the tang, at the same time the metal of the bolster embraced the blade and tang at the point where the two meet, thereby aiding in securing the handle to the blade.

vIn my present invention, I adhere to this feature of 'causing cast-metal to compress wood to the tang, while a portion of the metal also projects beyond the wood, and, embracing the tang where it meets the blade, forms the bolster.

In the present instance, the blade A and tang B are formed of one piece of plate-steel, the tang, where it meets the blade, being cut to a form approximating to the form ofthe bolster, as shown at a, g. 1.

A core, D, of light wood is cut to the same shape as, but of less dimensions than, the desired handle, and into a slot in this core is inserted the tang B, as illustrated in iig. 3.

A two-part mouldhas been so prepared as to en- 'close a space of the form of the desired handle and bolster, and into this mould are introduced the tang and core, as far as the line :c x, iig. 2.

' .Into the intervening space, between the interior of the mould and the tang, with the core attached, is poured molten metal or alloy.

When the metal has become hard, the mould is parted, and the` handle, with blade attached, is removed.

Both the core and tang are entirely enclosed within the casing of metal, the shrinkage of which binds the wooden coreto the tang, while the metal surrounding the neck a, of the tang embraces the same and forms the bolster.

Nothing now remains but to polish, and, if desired, silver the handle, when the latter is complete.

So securely. are the blade, wood, and casing ot metal, bound together by the shrinking of the latter, that the whole may be considered one solid mass, no rivets, pins, or other fastenings, being required.

The handle presents, exteriorly, all the appearance of a solid, continuous mass of metal, Without possessing the inconvenient weight of the latter, the intervening wooden core serving to make the handle of appropriate bulk, without materially increasing its weight, at the same time serving as an excellent medium through which the shrinking outer metal is made to gripe the tang. v

Although I prefer to make the entire blade of a at piece of' -steel, as shown in iig. l, the tang may be round, or square and pointed, in which case a simple hole is bored in the wooden core for its reception.

The core may be'made of cork papier-mache', or other light material, but wood is preferable on score of economy.

Although I have described my invention as applied to table-knives, it will be evident that it is equally applicable to forks, and other implements, in which uniform strong and light handles are desirable. v

I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The core D, in which is inserted the handle of a knife or other instrument, and which is entirely enclosed in a continuous casing of cast-metal, as described.

2. A handle and bolster, composed of a continuous casing of metal, cast to and entirely enclosing a core of wood or other light material, in which the tang of an instrument is inserted, and surrounding the neck of the tang, allA as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciiication, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

Witnesses H. HowsoN, HARRY SMITH.

J. OLDEN ELY.

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